Method and apparatus for skein winding of yarns



Feb. 11, 1969 s. M. WHEELOCK 3,426,403

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SKEIN WINDING OF YARNS Sheet of 6 Filed May 8, 1967 4INVENTOR Silos M. Wheelock WM g ATTORNEYS Feb. 11, 1969 s, M. WHEELOCK 3,426,408

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SKEIN WINDING OF YARNS Filed May 8, 1967 Sheet 2 or 3 INVENTOR Silos M. Wheelock g mm ATTOR NEYS Feb. 11, 1969 s, M. WHEELOCK 3,426,408

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SKEIN WINDING OF YARNS I Filed May 8, 1967 Sheet 3 f INVENT OR Silos M.Wh eelock ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,426,408 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SKEIN WINDING 0F YARNS Silas M. Wheelock, Box 91, Kirk Road, Boothwyn, Pa. 19061 Filed May 8, 1967, Ser. No. 636,888 US. CI. 28-21 Int. Cl. B6511 55/04, 54/56 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for skein winding of yarns and has for an object to produce consecutively skeins of yarn placing in each skein the same amount of yarn and continuously producing the skeins and separating the skeins after being wound.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of an apparatus for having multiple spindles for producing skeins of yarn in rapid succession, which apparatus forms a skein having therein a predetermined amount of yarn and each skein being provided with a terminal center wrap.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the type described herein upon the completion of the winding of a skein upon the spindle the thus wound skein is dotted axially downwardly upon the spindle and a new skein is wound above the thus doffed skein.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of an apparatus for producing skeins in series on a spindle and burning through the connecting yarn between adjacent skeins as the skeins are discharged from the winding spindles.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein the symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention having parts shown in solid and dotted line positions.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of a skein produced in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary transverse section through the machine showing a spindle winding a first skein.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 with the skein wound in FIGURE 3 in the dotted position and a second skein being wound.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURES 3 and 4 showing the first wound skein ejected from the spindle, the second wound skein being in the dotted position on the winding spindle and the third skein being wound.

FIGURE 6 is a transverse section through the lower portion of the machine of FIGURE 1 showing the yarn burning mechanism in its open or noncontacting position.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 with the yarn burning device in its closed actuated condition.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective view with parts broken away and parts shown in section taken at an enlarged scale showing the dofiing and center wrap mechamsm.

ice

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a form of reciprocating mechanism for the yarn feed bar.

Referring now for the moment to FIGURE 1, 10 designates a machine frame having uprights 11 and 12 between which at the upper portion horizontal support members 13 and 14 are secured. The members 13 and 14 have secured thereto bearings 15 and 16 in which are rotatably journalled skein winding spindles 17. A plurality of skein winding spindles 17 may be employed as shown in FIGURE 1 and while only five spindles have been shown, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that this machine could contain numerous additional spindles. The spindles 17 are mounted in a substantially upright position to take advantage of gravity pull for the discharge of skeins wound upon the spindles. Each spindle 17 is driven by a chain and sprocket drive 18. The spindles receive their motive power through the chain and sprocket drives 18 from a motor 19 driving a V-belt 20 connected to a pulley 21 at the upper end of the left-hand spindle 17. The pulley 21 and the sprocket and chain drives are connected to compel rotation of the spindles 17 upon the electric motor 19 driving the V-belt 20.

The amount of yarn wound upon a spindle 17 is controlled by a gear drive 22, 23 which is secured at the upper end of one of the spindle shafts 17 and which drives a worm 24 in mesh with the worm wheel 25 having a projection 26 thereon. A microswitch 27 is positioned to be engaged and actuated by the projection 26 when the worm 24 has driven the worm wheel 25 through a complete cycle to actuate the microswitch 27. The microswitch 27 is in circuit to actuate a fluid cylinder 28 of the pneumatic or hydraulic type such that upon the predetermined amount of yarn being wound upon each of the spindles 17 when the microswitch 27 is closed, the pneumatic cylinder will operate to shift the linkage 29 through pivots 30, 31 to levers 32 which cause dofling rods 33 mounted in guides 34 on the horizontal machine members 13 and 14 to descend and carry the dofiing mechanism therewith.

The dofiing mechanism in the embodiment illustrated consists of a plurality of annular bushings 35, the internal diameter of which is slightly greater than the external diameter of the winding spindles 17 so that the bushings 35 may be shifted axially along the spindle downwardly to transfer a wound skein, by way of example, from the position shown in FIGURE 3 to the positions shown in FIGURE 4. As best seen in FIGURE 8 the bushings 35 have an annular groove 36 therein to permit clamping of a pair of bars 37, 38 therein. At the base of the bar 33 are two jaw clamps 39, 40 which are bolted in position by bolts 41. The bars 37 running across the group of bushings 35 has only a vertical up and down movement, whereas the rear bar 38, by reason of the clamps 39, 40 has not only an up and down movement but also has a lateral or transverse movement. The bar 38 has a boss 42 through which a bolt 43 is received and which bolt enters a channeled guide 44 having legs 44 and 44 As shown in FIGURE 1, this channeled guide has a vertical leg portion and an angularly connected downwardly and to one side transfer portion so that upon descent of the rod 33 and the entrained bars 37, 38 the rear bar 38 is compelled to shift to the right in FIGURES 1 and 8. This is important in that yarn guides 45 having tips 45 are provided to cause the yarn being wound upon the skein to shift laterally and to provide the center wrap portion 46, shown in FIGURE 2. The pneumatic operating cylinder 28 has a return spring 28 secured to the machine frame for causing the doffing mechanism to be restored to a skein winding position shown in solid lines in FIGURE 1.

The yarn laying mechanism consists of a horizontally positioned bar connected at each end of the machine to a vertically reciprocating bar 48 which bar is driven by cams 43 or eccentrics to provide an up and down motion to play yarn back and forth over the spindles 17 as the spindles are rotated. The yarn bar 47 has yarn feed openings 47 therethrough adjacent each spindle to receive therethrough one or many yarns 49 fed from one or more yarn cones 50.

As best seen in FIGURES 3 through 5, the cycle of operation of this apparatus is illustrated in which yarn 49, as best seen in FIGURE 3, is wound upon the spindles 17 to form a skein 5-1. When a predetermined amount of yarn has been wound upon the spindle 17 upon actuation of the microswitch 27, as described hereinabove, the doffing bars 33 are lowered to the dotted line position in FIGURE 4 thereby shifting the skein 51 to the lower position on the spindle and a second skein upon restoration of the dofling mechanism to the up position is then wound and is best shown in FIGURE 4 at 51 At this point, it is important to note that in order to commence winding of the second skein 51 that yarn 48 maintains contact with skein 51 which still is secured to and rotated with the spindle 17. When the next doffing cycle takes place, upon moving the skein 51 downwardly to the position occupied by skein '51 in FIGURE 4, the skein 51 is ejected from the spindle 17 'by reason of the tapered end 17 and skein 51 then occupies the place on the spindle occupied by the skein 51 in FIGURE 4 and a new skein 5-1 is wound on the spindle 17 maintaining a yarn contact 48 between successive skeins.

The connecting yarns 48* between successively formed skeins must be separated and to do this, I have provided the mechanism shown in FIGURES 6 and 7 which consist of a pair of shafts 52, 53 mounted in bearings 54 on the uprights 11 and 12. Secured to the shaft 52 is a support rod 55 having an inturned portion 55 for supporting between two such members 55 spaced apart on the shaft 52, as best seen in FIGURE 1, a .Nichrome wire 56. Secured to the shaft 53 is an upstanding rod 57 having portions 57 between which are secured two rod members 58. A slotted crank arm 59 is secured to shaft 53 to rock same between the position shown in FIGURE 6 and that shown in FIGURE 7. Secured to shaft 52 is a rocker arm 60. The rocker arm 60 is actuated by a bar '61 which is actuated in concert with the dofiing mechanism so that upon pulling the bar up when the dofling has taken place and a skein 51 has fallen between the rods 55 and 57, shown in FIGURE 6, an entraining connection 62 will cause the rods 55 and 57 to close upon one another as shown in FIGURE 7 and to cause the Nichrome wire 56 which is electrically energized to burn through the yarn 48 between the bars 58 thereby causing the yarn connector 48 to be burned through and thereby to separate adjacent skeins.-

Although I have disclosed herein the best forms of the invention known to me at this time, I reserve the right to all such modifications and changes as may come within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A skein winding machine comprising (a) at least one skein winding spindle having its axis mounted upright in a machine frame,

(b) means connected to rotate said spindle,

(c) doffing means comprising an annular bushing having an internal diameter slightly greater than the external diameter of said rotary spindle and not being rotatable therewith and being movable along the spindle between a winding and dofiing position, said bushing having an annular groove externally thereof, a first and second bar mounted at opposite sides of said bushing for shifting the bushing between a winding and dofling position, said first bar not having a movement relative to said bushing, said second bar being movable up and down with said first bar and having a sliding movement substantially normal to said bushing and spindle, and at least one yarn transfer guide carried by said second bar for directing the terminal portion of the yarn being Wound upon a skein to a center wrapterminus,

(d) yarn feeding means carried by said machine frame and being reciprocable relative to said frame for laying yarn upon the spindle in skein form, and

(e) control means connected between said means to rotate said spindle and'said dofiing means to actuate said dofling means when a predetermined amount of yarn has been wound upon said spindle to remove a wound skein from the spindle.

2. IA skein winding machine as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a second bar lateral transfer means one element of which is secured to the machine frame and the other element of which is carried by the second bar so that upon the second bar being moved downwardly during I a doffing motion said second bar is simultaneously shifted laterally to the center wrap position.

'3. A skein winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said yarn feeding means is a bar having a yarn opening therethrough adjacent each spindle and the bar is reciprocated vertically through a drive connection with the spindle.

4. A skein winding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control means is a gear train driven by said spindle which drivesa worm gear in mesh with a worm wheel having a'projection in actuating relationship with a microswitch in circuit to actuate a fluid cylinder which actuates the dofling means when a predetermined amount of yarn has been wound in a skein upon the spindle.

5. A skein winding machine as claimed in claim 1 further comprising skein separating means for separating adjacent skeins ejected from the spindle by the action of said doffing means.

6. A skein winding machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein said separating means is an electrically energized Nichrome wire moved into engagement with the yarn connection between an ejected skein and a skein carried by said spindle.

7. The method of automatically and consecutively winding skeins of yarn upon a vertically disposed rotary spindle comprising (a) winding a first skein upon said rotating spindle,

(b) doffing said first skein axially along said spindle to a point below the position in which it was wound,

(c) maintaining yarn contact with said first wound skein which has been doffed and winding a second skein on said spindle above said first skein,

(d) thereafter doffing said second skein along said spindle into abutting relationship with said first skein and ejecting said (e) first skein from said spindle and winding a third skein above said second skein while maintaining yarn contact therewith.

'8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of separating the yarn connection between the ejected skein and the doffed skein.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the separation of the connecting yarn is effectuated by burning through the yarn.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS LOUIS K. RIMRODT, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 

